For the Moment
by tifaa
Summary: ONE SHOT Squinoa - Post FF8. Rinoa comes to Squall's office after hours. Talking, reminiscing and light banter ensue.


Papers shuffled around on the desk as fine boned fingers, honed by hours of training and expertise shifted forms and bills and bonds, all things he needed to review and sign. It was straining his eyes, the endless stream of miniscule black text on the stark white. The minimal lighting from the desktop computer was the only real illumination in the spacious area that was his office.

A calloused, almost delicate hand perched to his brow, momentarily lifting the bangs which so often sluiced into his dark eyes. A small, imperceptable sigh fluttered from his lips before he willingly let the cream manila file drift from his hands, the sigh lilting towards a more aggravated sound. The close confines and the sense of responsibilty to handle this workload was getting to him.

It was then that he felt it. A tiny shifting in the air around him, as the space behind him was filled. Finely manicured hands began tracing the rough yet giving material of his uniform, gentle fingertips wandering along the edge of his neckline, meandering into his hair before the whisper reached his ears; silky and enveloping.

"Working hard?"

Squall allowed himself to nod curtly, twisting his head from side to side gingerly as if that would dislodge the ache.

"Mmmm." Was the murmur he heard in reply before the hand traced around the lobe of his ear, searching.

He wasn't used to this. Having someone waiting for him when he'd trudge into his Garden Suite, eyes weary from reading and muscles somewhat stiff from alternately sitting and standing. He wasn't used to this. Hyne, he wasn't even used to the title, the word uttered from so many lips that carried such a weight for him. _Girlfriend._

Squall's mouth opened, fluttered closed before dropping again as he struggled to explain. "There was - "

"What? A sudden influx of things you've needed to sign?" The voice was faintly irritated, but no less grating for it's tone.

"Rinoa - " There was a sound of harshness to his tone, this conversation was a well traveled road between the two of them.

"Nevermind." Her hands tensed on his collar line unknowingly, chocolate hair fanning over one shoulder as her head tilted to the side.

Instead, she bent, brushing his forehead gently, the slight dampness there curling around her lips as she planted a firm kiss there, smoothing back bangs from his brow. The action made him falter for a moment as he closed his eyes, grateful for the respite, grateful for her prescence. Something he found he never could outrightly express.

Despite her spoiled facade in public, her sometimes whiny despostion which was often misconscrewed for a self-centered personality, she really was intune with him. She could read him effortlessly, like a book. The same could be said for him. He knew her moods, could sense them in the sudden change in the dark depths of her eyes.

And it was with this sense she understood why he stiffened when she touched him. Not that Squall didn't welcome the touch - it was some mornings where he'd subtly tuck her to his side, linger overlong in an embrace, clasp her tightly to him, face pressed into her hair as if in one wrong move and she'd up and be gone.

It was these small moments that Rinoa would meld to her mind, waiting for the next time when - if but for a moment - he let down the barriers he'd erected around himself for most of his adult life. She yearned for those moments, yearned for the time when he'd allow her in. Deep down, she greedily wished that this would be one of those times.

Squall shifted, fingers grasping for the mouse as he wordlessly shut down the computer. The couple remained in silence as the computer's hum died down, the light from the monitor and hard drive winking out, suspending Squall's ornate office into darkness. Their shadows were thrown across the wall in the faint shimmering of the stars and the captivating glow from the moon, it's backdrop being the crashing waves along the shoreline of Balamb.

"Squall." His name was moreso a statement then her actually _speaking_ to him, she simply liked the sound of his name rolling off her lips.

"Rin - " His brow furrowed as his mouth attempted to catch onto his rapidly whirring mind. His lips struggled to speak what was on his heart. "I - "

Although he couldn't see, Rinoa shook her head, a faint smile twisting her lips. "Don't think Squall. Just ... say it."

Another frustrated sigh on his part before a grunt erupted from his throat as Rinoa unexpectedly plopped into his lap, arms twined easily around his neck. Squall instantly flashed back to that moment on the Ragnarok when she floated easily into his lap, the action smooth, as if she was meant to fit there. Almost in a reflex action, his arms twined around her petite form, lips craned to speak the words he found so trying to verbalize.

Her laugh spiraled around him, tickling his ears. Deadpan, he arched a brow in silent question.

A slender finger tapped the side of his temple. "There you go again, Squall. Thinking too much." The response was a small growl emitted from tightly pursed lips, which only made Rinoa laugh harder. "You're horribly attractive when you're angry, you know." Was her coy words dripping with a playfulness he found hard to pinpoint.

His face was turned away from her then, so Rinoa idly studied him in profile, fingers tracing along the skin of his chin, his cheek.

"Gil for your thoughts." Was her low husky murmur.

Their eyes met in a clash of heat before he pulled her closer, cheek to cheek, his lips so close to her ear she fought a shiver.

"I didn't think you were going to come back here. To Garden, I mean." Was all he uttered for a moment, he suddenly found himself more tired then he realized, the slow boiling tension that so often seeped into his limbs was rapidly draining.

Rinoa's brow knitted in confusion as she tried to place his meaning. "What? Why? Where else would I be?"

His lips twisted into a wry smile, an expression few saw as he remembered back at General Caraway's Mansion. Her eyes had been lit with an inner fire, hair whipping around her shoulders with each hard word, exasperation and anger etched into her features. Her words came crashing down around him, even now.

_"So what am I supposed to do!" Her voice cracked slightly, and she hated the sound. It almost made her appear weak. He winced from her verbal onslaught. He was used to her antics, but this was pushing it. He crossed the room, hand outstretched towards her, the other hand loosening the collar on his SeeD uniform. The room suddenly grew hot._

_Her hand tightened around the vase of lilies in front of her, her whole visage hardening. "Don't, Lionheart. Not another step." He sighed, rolling his eyes and took that step. Rinoa didn't flinch, simply continued. _

_"What am I supposed to be to you? Am I supposed to come to Garden and play nice nice? Smile at all the diplomats while you parade me around? Rinoa Heartilly, the Squall's beau who is Headmaster of the world's most prominent military force. I don't want to be your future trophy wife. I don't want to be squeezed into your life. I don't want to be fit in between all the conferences and dinners and important meetings. I don't want to take a backseat to your work. Your life. You told me I was your life."_

_He couldn't find a word to defend himself. Her truth crackled through the room like wildfire._

"Remember? At your Father's Home?" Was all he needed to say. Realization dawned on Rinoa's face like a balm. She pulled back from the embrace, twisting his head around to face her, so she could look into his eyes, his expressive, unreadable eyes. Her teeth worried at her bottom lip a moment before finally speaking.

"Squall. That was months ago. Are you still holding onto that?"

He slowly switched the subject. "... It's why you're here, isn't it? To pry me away from all this work."

Rinoa sighed, tilting his chin up as she smiled over at him. "Yes. You haven't taken a rest in hours." She deftly changed the subject back. "I was emotional back then, Squall. And things have - " She caught the knowing light in his eyes and smacked him on the shoulder gently, eyes narrowing considerably. "Okay. So I'm still emotional. Sue me, I've a right. At that time, I wanted all of your attention. But I see now how much people depend on you, and besides, I was angry then. And hurt. Things are different now."

"Are they really? You still have to nudge tea at me, remind me to grab something from the cafeteria, force me take breaks ..." Squall mumbled, loud enough only so she could hear.

"Well, that's what I signed up for, right? I mean, that's what we _both _signed up for the fateful day you risked your life in space to bring me back." His eyes warned her to stop, he knew how worked up she got over that moment. She doggedly continued, battling back the lump in her throat. "The good and the bad right? Work, antisocial, set in your ways and all." She teased, twirling a dark lock of hair around her finger.

When his brow furrowed at her comments, Rinoa tensed slightly.

"Drama Queen."

She snickered at his veiled comment, wriggling. "Workaholic."

"Pushy."

"Stubborn."

"You're a powerful Sorceress, and yet you're scared of spiders."

"This from the stoic Commander who whines terribly when his precious gunblade gets wet."

"Spoiled brat." His mouth quirked.

She paused, lips pursed. " . . . "

Meanwhile, the jilted smile stayed on Squall's face.

". . . I love you, Squall." Teasing over and done with, a somber expression crossed his face. She placed a finger to his lips, stilling his next words. "You don't have to say it back, I know. It's the little things you do which show me. I know."

His features were hard, his eyes were swirling. She unabashedly stared at him before kissing him gently, her hands tightening around him. Squall sighed into her mouth, hands braced at her back, emotions stirring within him, deep rooted feelings that he could barely put a name too. Her arms drifted down to his shoulders, gripping him tightly as for once, he allowed himself to let go with a staggering murmur of her name, hands tangling in her hair slowly, as if afraid to hurt her.

Squall was a source of her strength, her rock, her constant. And she loved him all the more for it. For sticking by her when she yelled a little too loudly, or was too mushy in public, or when she pushed him too hard. He was controlled chaos, the heart of him ticking underneath his skin, calm facade broken only by sporadic bursts of emotion. _Her_ Squall.

He broke the kiss on a slight tremor. She felt the motion tremble and twitch through the toned muscles rippling beneath her fingers. Squall's face once more nestled into her hair, the smell of her shampoo filling his nose. For the moment, nothing else mattered. Ifrit could've barged into the room and cast Hellfire on his desk, so was Squall's concern for the mounting paperwork.

All that mattered was here. With _her_.

And no matter what situation they were in, no matter what odds they faced, she always snapped him back to that.

Squall smiled into her hair. "I love you too, Rin."

Rinoa chuckled softly, shifting in his lap.

For the moment, all in the world was right.


End file.
